Nutrition fundamentals for body composition and performance

Nutrition fundamentals for body composition and performance: there are two main categories that everyone needs to optimize to reach your goals. The two categories are caloric intake and macronutrient ratios. When these two categories are off track, your progress suffers. 

Your goals almost always include something to do with looking better, feeling better and performing better. People assume that losing weight is on that list because that’s what you have been indoctrinated into thinking. Building / maintaining muscle mass and losing body fat are what you should be focused on. Nobody talks about that because it’s not part of the money making narrative. 

Here are a list of questions that you should be asking yourself:

What are my specific goals?

What should my caloric intake be to reach my goals?

What is my current actual caloric intake?

What macronutrient ratio of protein, fat and carbs should I be using to reach my goals?

What is my current actual macronutrient ratio?

What changes do I have to make to go from my actual current caloric intake and macronutrient ratio to my desired caloric intake and macronutrient ratio?

Once you have the answers to these questions then you can take positive decisive actions that will actually assist you in achieving your goals. Simple doctrinal statements like “eat less and exercise more” and “slim down and tone up” are amateur hour constructs propagated by the money making industries. 

Try “burn fat and build muscle” instead for optimal healthy results. 

In my nutrition program that I have taught for years, I teach, coach and mentor people to answer those questions, calculate the answers, and develop your own nutrition plan to reach your specific goals. 

Most people are too lazy or undisciplined to do the work required. For those types, they can simply do endless cardio and starve themselves until they can cram their atrophied malnourished brittle bodies into a size zero pair of jeans. Dying skinny can be a goal I suppose. Throughout history, death camps were filled with skeletal looking skinny people (barely alive and dead). So choose your goals wisely. It’s worth doing the work to be healthy. 

What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Why Is It Important?

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) refers to the amount of energy or calories that your body needs to maintain basic physiological functions while at rest. These functions include breathing, circulation, cell production and repair, and the maintenance of organ functions.

BMR is the energy expenditure required to keep your body functioning at rest, without any physical activity or digestion taking place. It is influenced by several factors, including age, sex, body composition, and genetics.

Factors that can affect BMR include:

Age: BMR tends to decrease with age due to a loss of muscle mass and a decrease in metabolic activity.

Sex: Men generally have a higher BMR compared to women because they tend to have more muscle mass.

Body composition: Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, so individuals with a higher proportion of muscle tend to have a higher BMR.

Genetics: Some individuals may have a naturally higher or lower BMR due to genetic factors.

Thyroid function: The thyroid hormone plays a significant role in regulating metabolism. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can lower BMR, while hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can increase it.

To determine an individual's BMR, various equations have been developed, such as the Harris-Benedict equation and the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation. These equations take into account factors like age, sex, weight, and height to estimate an individual's BMR.

BMR is just an estimation of the energy requirements at rest and does not account for physical activity or digestion. To determine your total daily energy expenditure, you would need to consider your BMR along with the calories burned through physical activity and the thermic effect of food.

It is important to know the number values of all of the data associated with weight loss, fat loss, and muscle building. Otherwise you are guessing on most of it. Tracking your data is beneficial to your success. Many people consume far less than their BMR requirements daily. This can adversely effect your health, performance and body composition levels. 

In my many years as a trainer and coach, I have assisted dozens and dozens of people in achieving their body composition goals. The clients who were the most successful, in the least amount of time, were the ones who tracked and understood their data.  

Recently I acquired an Eros Smart Body Fat Scale from Inevifit. I started using it to track my own data as well as the weekly data of several clients. I simply love this smart body fat scale. The amount of data it provides you is impressive. This scale comes with a free APP and is connected via bluetooth. It uses bioelectrical impedance to calculate your numbers. 

You simply set the APP on your profile and stand on the scale barefoot for a short time. The data is then transmitted from the scale to the APP on your phone. You can save all of your data and use tracking charts on the APP to see your progress. The APP also allows you to create additional profiles for family members or clients.

The Eros Smart Body Fat Scale tracks the following metrics:

Weight, 

Fat Percentage, 

Muscle Mass, 

Water Percentage, 

Bone Mass, 

BMI, 

Visceral Fat, 

Metabolic Age, 

Basal Metabolic Rate.

This abundant amount of data gives you a very keen insight as to where you are at in relation to your goals. It also shows you what you are doing good on and where there is room for improvement. And it tells you your BMR. Another thing that I love about this scale is that it is simple to use and you do not have to write anything down or calculate any of the numbers. This scale does it all for you very quickly.

Inevifit has a variety of scale models to choose from that vary in price. I prefer the Eros Smart Body Fat Scale as it is the most capable. 

Watch my video below for a summary

If you want to check it out and get your own scale, you can use coupon code Eric for 20% off of your order through my link here:

Eros Smart Body Fat Scale

Get your own Eros Smart Body Fat Scale and start tracking your data as you speed towards your goals.

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Eat More? Are you sure?

Post Fasting Feast of the day! 

Pepper Garlic Chicken Tenderloins, scrambled eggs, mixed nuts and seeds, mango slice and strawberries. 

In the quest to build muscle, burn fat, and to get stronger, your food must be a priority. 

I habitually under-eat, not by choice, but because it’s really hard to eat my required calories with clean unprocessed foods. 

So I laugh when clients tell me that they are all over the nutrition thing. Yeah right, sure you are. 

Our world has been brainwashed into believing that “eat less and cardio more” is a good thing when it definitely is not at all. 

The true proven rule is to eat the right amount, of the right stuff, at the right time, based upon your individual needs and goals. 

And for most people that usually means that you need to eat more, not less. That’s reality. 

So I’m gonna try to eat more, not less and that will help to make the bigger weights move in the gym.

Muscles and Strength Building Formula Training Guide with 5 FREE Bonus Reports Now Available

 

New addition to my online book store! 

I just added the Muscles and Strength Building Formula Training Guide. 

It is on sale now with 5 free bonus reports for those who act quickly. 

This package has tons of info covering muscle building, strength training, nutrition, workouts, and more.

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Lean Meal Replacement Shakes are back!

Lean Meal Replacement Shakes are back!

Many clients and I have enjoyed the Lean Meal Replacement shakes over the years.

The company was formerly Prograde Nutrition, and is now reflagged as Jaylab Pro Nutrition. 

Same owner, same high quality products, and service, just with a new name. 

I've been using and selling their high quality products for over a decade. 

I will continue to do so now with the new brand name as before.

Check out their new page and products.

https://dempseysresolution.jaylabpro.com/meal-replacement.html

Eric Dempsey

MS, NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

BioTrust 30% Off Sale!

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Eric Dempsey
MS, NASM Specialist in Fitness Nutrition
Dempseys Resolution Fitness

Free BioTrust Low Carb Protein Sample Offer!

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Eric Dempsey

MS, NASM Specialist in Fitness Nutrition

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

Plant Based Protein: The Issue and a Solution

Many people today are looking for a plant based diet that avoids the potential hazards of consuming processed or chemically laden meats. 

Plant based diets are very healthy and when done properly can provide everything that you need for optimal body composition, heath and fitness. 

I tell my clients that while I don't strictly use a plant based diet ( I like my steak), I am not opposed to anyone doing so as long as my main nutrition criteria is met. That criteria for everyone is that you must consume the right amounts, of the right macronutrients, at the right times in order to attain your goals and maintain optimal levels of health and fitness. 

I have trained many, and currently train clients who are vegan or vegetarians. With their nutrition coaching, I have come across a reoccurring issue with all of them. Nobody that I have trained, or currently train, who are following a plant based diet, can get in the necessary amount of protein each day, to meet their goals. 

Why is this such an issue? Many leading plant based gurus will tell you that you can easily meet your nutritional requirements with a plant based diet. Well I call BS on that due to very simple math. 

I am going to outline the issue with an example food. Baby kale and spinach leaves are something that I eat weekly as part of my nutrition plan. This container that I buy weekly has 2 servings in it with a total of 6 SIX grams of protein. Now say that I am going plant based and I am using this to get my protein requirement in. Remember this is just an example. 

How much protein do I need anyhow? Well that depends on who you talk to and what scientific study that you read. To keep things simple we will use the USDA recommended daily allowance for protein. And that is .8g per kg of body weight. ( Multiple studies have shown this to be woefully inadequate for even sedentary people). But we will use it to keep the math easy.

I currently weigh 215lbs ( a fat ass I know). That comes out to about 97.5 kg. So to find out my USDA RDA for protein I multiply body weight 97.5 kg x .8g of protein and I get 78g. So we will say that I need 78g of protein a day. 

Well I like my spinach and kale, so I'm going to use that for my protein (for example purposes). So I divide my protein RDA of 78g / 6 g of protein in my spinach and kale container and I come out with about 13 containers. 

Ok cool, so I only need to eat 13 containers of kale and spinach leaves, each day, to get my protein in. Easy breezy right? Hell No! Are you kidding me? I can barely eat one container over the course of a week. And that is even with smoothies. It ain't gonna happen. 

So the plant eater gurus would say well that is not accurate because you would be eating many other plant based foods and that would crank up your protein intake. Ah yeah a little but nowhere near enough to get 78g in a day. You would literally need to eat truckloads of leaves every day to meet your total nutritional needs. You gotta remember that you need a specific amount of calories/grams from protein, fats and carbs, every day, to reach your goals. 

So for me and my clients, it is a major issue. It can be done but it is hard. So I started looking for solutions. And I found one.

Designer protein has come out with the awesome, Organic Pro 30 protein powder, that is vegan approved, GMO free, gluten free and Kosher approved. It is 100% plant based and has 30g of protein per scoop. 2 scoops is 60g of protein.

Now that 78g of protein that I need isn't so unattainable. I can have a bunch of well balanced, normal meals that are plant based and somewhere during the day, have a smoothie with 2 scoops of Organic Pro 30. And just like that-problem solved! And I don't need to eat a truckload of leaves. 

This is a viable way for vegans, vegetarians or plant based diet people to get in their needed protein while remaining 100% plant based. I think it is a solution that can help everyone. I have started using it myself to get in more protein while rotating sources from plant based to animal based protein. 

I though this was such a great product that I contacted Designer Protein, with praise for the Organic Pro 30 protein powder. They were very happy to hear my enthusiasm and they gave me a special link to offer you a 20% discount on any of their products. 

So if you are struggling with your plant based diet and you are not making the progress that you want with your fat loss and fitness goals, this stuff will help for sure. Give it a try and see the difference that it will make. Plus you get to save 20% off of buying it in the store. 

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Every person that I have trained in the last 10 years has said one thing during a week when they made the most progress. I asked them all "what did you do differently this week"? They all answered, I increased my Protein intake. Boom!

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Eric Dempsey

MS, ISSA Specialist in Fitness Nutrition

The Fat Neutralizing Nutrient

The Fat Neutralizing Nutrient
(And How to Get a Flat Belly Fast)

So, what exactly is the Fat Neutralizing Nutrient? One that helps struggling men and women lose weight at least TWICE as fast… especially when consumed first thing in the morning?

Can you guess?

Read about it here

Eric Dempsey
MS, ISSA Specialist in Fitness Nutrition
Dempseys Resolution Fitness 

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Eric Dempsey

MS, NASM Weight Loss Specialist

Dempseys Resolution Fitness

A One Day Diet? Check it out!

Guest post by Coach Josh

The ONE Day Diet

(Entire Diet Laid Out In This Article)

By Coach Josh Bezoni

Hey, it's Coach Josh and today I'm going to reveal a VERY simple, ONE Day Diet you can follow daily to get a flat belly fast.

But first, let's be honest… dieting, well… sucks. (I bet you don't hear many nutritionists admit that.)

It's not surprising that almost no one on the entire planet gets excited about dieting. (Yippee I get to EAT LESS and stress myself out MORE with a confusing and time consuming program!)

But what if I told you that there is a very simple (dare I say easy), way to get an attractive flat belly that removes all of the guess work and also allows for daily "treats" that you can't wait to enjoy?

You'd probably say I'd lost my marbles, right? Well, maybe that's true... but let's jump right into the secrets of my new ONE DAY DIET plan.

Secret #1: Harness the power of intermittent fasting. This is where you send your fat-burning hormones into overdrive by eating your meals during a specific window of time during the day. (I won't bore you with all the science details now, but just know it's a cool trick to remove that pesky flab.)

Secret #2: Enjoy two, super-quick, 60-second flab-burning "milkshake" meals during the day (I'll show you how you can get my favorite recipe book, 53 Fat-Burning Smoothies & Milkshakes100% FREE in just a minute).

Secret #3: Eat a balanced dinner in the early evening.

So here's my typical One Day Diet plan:

MEAL ONE: Skip breakfast (what?!) and then eat your first meal at 12 noon. Your first 60-second meal will consist of a fat-burning, all-natural, high-protein BioTrust "milkshake." I change up the flavor almost daily, but here's what I enjoyed today:

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Ingredients:

2 scoops of all-natural BioTrust Low Carb Vanilla Protein
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
stevia (to taste)
5 ice cubes

Notes: Put all ingredients in a blender and enjoy!

MEAL TWO: Three hours later at around 3PM have your second 60-second fat-burning, all-natural, high-protein "milkshake" meal. Here's the recipe I used today:

Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake (delicious!)

Ingredients:

2 Scoops of all-natural BioTrust Low Carb Vanilla Protein
1 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1/2 Cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt
1 Cup Frozen Strawberries
1/2 TSP Cinnamon
Stevia (to taste)
5 Ice Cubes

Notes: Put all ingredients in a blender and enjoy!

MEAL THREE: Three hours later (post workout) at around 6 pm have a healthy dinner which consists of:
A portion of a lean protein source (like chicken, grass-fed beef, wild salmon, or turkey) equal to the size of your palm and the thickness of a deck of playing cards
A half cup of a nutrient-packed complex carbs like half a sweet potato, quinoa, barley or beans
A cup or two (eat all you want really) of fibrous veggies like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, peas or a dinner salad. (Use a bit of olive oil and seasonings to flavor.)

I also drink at least 8 large glasses of water per day (important)… and I enjoy a cup of green tea or organic coffee most mornings. Then, one day a week, I take a day "off " the One Day Diet plan and eat regular meals all day (typically Saturday for me). I follow the One Day Diet for 30-days and then take a full week off and repeat.

To keep things interesting, I constantly switch up my BioTrust fat-burning milkshake recipes and as mentioned I'm going to give you the opportunity to get the same recipe book I use called "53 Fat Burning Smoothies & Milkshakes"… for FREE!

It's that simple? YEP!

Does it really work to fight flab fast? DOUBLE YEP!! It works like a charm.

So to recap, you simply have two great tasting, all-natural, flab-fighting milkshakes a day, and then eat a nutrient-packed dinner. Simple, easy, fast. But the key is to stop eating after your third meal and not eat again until your first meal the next day. This fast will send your fat-burning hormones into overdrive, help shrink your stomach, and keep your fat-storing hormone insulin in check.

Now, the #1 most frequently asked question I get about the one day diet is, "Is it important to use all-natural BioTrust Low Carb protein for my milkshakes?"

And my response is, "YES!" Here's why…

For starters, it's the best-tasting protein on the planet, period. If you're going to be drinking shakes daily, you want to make sure you're using a brand that you truly enjoy and look forward to. This stuff is like dessert... literally.

Beyond that, it's 100% all natural. That means it contains no artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, preservatives, or additives... at all. Instead, it's naturally sweetened with stevia and a naturally sweet form of fiber called inulin that adds a sizable 4 grams of fiber per 24 grams of protein.

Next, BT Low Carb is Certified Hormone-Free, sourced from cows not treated with dangerous growth hormones like rBGH and rBST (not the case for 99% of all other protein products).

On top of that, it's a true time-released blend of 4 different fast- and slow-acting proteins that
provide your body with quality nutrition for up to 8 hours, without the insulin-spike associate with whey-protein-only products.

Lastly, and perhaps one of the coolest aspects of BioTrust Low Carb, is its use of a new breakthrough enzyme blend called ProHydrolase that has been shown to more than DOUBLE protein absorption over other products. In fact, it's the only protein supplement on the market that has access to this enzyme blend currently… truly cutting-edge stuff!

Beyond that, Prohydrolase completely eliminates the bloating and gas that many complain of with whey protein supplements. Instead, BioTrust Low Carb is about as easy on your GI track as a glass of water!

And as if that weren’t enough, you’re also going to get a TON of free bonus gifts with your BioTrust Low Carb order today to make getting started on the ONE Day Diet even easier. 

Check this out:
We’re going to GIVE you a free downloadable copy of 53 Fat Burning Smoothies & Milkshakes with your order, so you have a near-endless variety of milkshakes to enjoy on the ONE Day Diet plan.
While our limited supplies last, we’re also going to include a BioTrust Blender Bottle with any and every BioTrust Low Carb order. 

With its patented wire whisk ball, you can mix and enjoy an extra-smooth and delicious shake anywhere, anytime. This will really make it extra convenient for you while following the One Day Diet plan, but don’t delay, these will go fast as we only have a limited amount on hand.

I’m also going to GIVE you a FREE downloadable copy of the full and expanded version of the ONE DAY DIET program. You’ve got the basics already if you own the Cheat Sheets version of the One Day Diet, or by simply reading this article to this point, but this expanded version goes a step further by answering all of your questions in detail so you’re guaranteed to get the best results possible.

These three bonus gifts are valued at over $100… but they’re yours FREE when you order now.

BioTrust Low Carb + ALL the ONE Day Diet Bonuses

Enjoy the results,

Coach Josh

Josh Bezoni
Co-Founder, BioTrust Nutrition

BioTrust Mocha Delight Protein and Last Call for the 30% Off Sale! Ending Soon!

A quick video on the last call for the BioTrust 30% Off Sale
and the new Mocha Delight Protein.

Use coupon code dent30 at checkout to save 30% off your order!

Sale is ending soon!

You can't beat 30% off. Save big and order now!

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Eric

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Eric Dempsey
Master Sergeant, U.S. Army Retired
NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Weight Loss Specialist
Graduate Student In Exercise Science At Cal U.
Dempseys Resolution Fitness
www.dempseysresolution.com

Protein Bar Ice Cream ?

I have made several variants of what I like to call protein bar ice cream or frozen protein bars. It's quite easy to make and it can be tailored to your own tastes and likings.

This batch pictured above was quickly and easily made with 2 heaping scoops of chocolate Bio TRUST Low Carb Protein Powder , 2 heaping scoops of vanilla Prograde Protein Powder , 1 cup of chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and water.



Simply pour all of the ingredients into a baking pan or sheet, mix evenly and then put it in your freezer until it is frozen solid. To eat, simply pull out the pan and let it thaw for a few minutes and then cut out servings.



I haven't calculated the macronutrient ratio or calories as I am too lazy and simply don't care but you could if you wanted to. Suffice it to say that this mix is high protein, medium fat and low carb in general.



You can add stevia, honey, fruit, vegetables or whatever you like to a mix like this. Experiment and use your imagination. You could also add coconut flour, pecan meal or almond flour and bake it for actual "brownie like" protein bars.



It's a healthy treat and a different and fun way to get your protein in other than drinking protein shakes.

Give it a try and see how you like it. Variety and imagination are helpful tools for long term nutrition plan compliance.

Remember, excuses don't burn fat. Train hard and eat right!

Eric Dempsey
Master Sergeant, U.S. Army Retired
NASM Certified Personal Trainer & Weight Loss Specialist
Dempsey’s Resolution Fitness